Escape Plans
by Scarlet Maximoff
Summary: One shot. Arya/Elia. When her family visits the North, Elia seeks out Arya one day because she thinks they have a lot in common.


Arya was crouched down next to the river when Nymeria suddenly lifted her head up and began to growl. Arya stood up immediately and her hand went to the sword at her, Needle.

Nymeria creeps towards the woods until Arya says softly but firmly, "stop" Arya walks over to Nymeria and places a hand on her back and says "down" and Nymeria kneels low enough for Arya to climb on her back.

With one hand in Nymeria's fur and the other still wrapped around her sword Arya is about to give Nymeria the command to go but a now familiar voice calls out "Arya?"

Arya's hand loosens in Nymeria's fur and she pats her wolf, "Calm down, girl."

"Over here." Arya calls back.

It takes a minute before Arya can see Elia, she keeps one calming hand on Nymeria so Nymeria wouldn't do something to frighten her.

Elia steps out of the woods dressed in fine, fur lined cloths curtesy of Arya's mother and father. Arya thought Elia looked beautiful and mysterious with her cloak drawn up over her head, she couldn't help but admire the older girl.

"Jon said I could find you here." Elia had eyes like her fathers, Arya notices, and they seemed to brighten when she looked at Arya.

"Oh." Arya says, not knowing what else to say.

"He also said you liked to ride horses," she says, a smile spreading across her face, "I was going to join you."

"I don't ride horses much anymore." Arya says, gesturing to Nymeria.

Elia's eyes widen slightly. "You ride a direwolf?"

"Of course." Arya says. "Robb and Jon and Bran do too, Rickon probably will someday, when he's old enough."

Elia doesn't say anything but takes a few steps closer to Nymeria, looking at her from head to tail.

"I was just sitting out here anyway, not really riding." Arya says. "If you still want to join me."

"Sounds better than being in the castle," Elia says then smiles apologetically and adds, "No offence meant. Your family has been kind to us."  
"No offence taken." Arya say, moving back to the river bank. She sits down not minding the wet ground and after a moment Elia joins her. "In truth, I prefer being out here too. At least when my mother and Septa Mordane are after me about something—wearing a dress, my manners, needle work, Nymeria."

Elia laughs. She has a nice laugh, Arya thinks, she has a nice smile too.

Suddenly though the laughter melts off her face and she says, "My mother doesn't really care about how I dress, she does hate that I always smell of horse but I love to ride. It's freeing. My father—I remind him of his sister and I think that's just it."

Elia is silent for a long moment and Arya looks over at her, she stares intently at the ground with a troubled expression on her face.

Arya reaches a hand out towards her, wanting to comfort her but not quite sure how. She eventually puts her hand awkwardly on Elia's shoulder.

"He loves you." Arya says. "He could have just left you and—"

"My mother is the only I know he loves, and my sisters. With them he's always happy but when I'm around he's sad and it—I just remind him of his sister." Elia balls her hands into fists. "I hate it. I _hate_ it."

Arya tugs on Elia's shoulder to make her look at her. "You still have you siblings. My mother and I hardly even get along and my father and I don't always get along but I know I always have Jon, and Robb and Bran."

"I know I do." Elia says softly. "Lately I've been thinking about going off with my sister, Obara or Nymeria. They go to Braavos and Pentos. I want to go there."

"That sounds amazing," Arya says, "I would love to be able to do that."

"Then why don't?" Elia says, suddenly her smile is back again. "It won't be today or tomorrow, talk to your mother and father, you and I could go, and Nymeria _and_ Obara if they're worried."

"They'll probably be afraid I'm going to run away." Arya laughs. "They _have_ been talking about marriage proposals for me."

"To who?" Elia asks.

"I don't know." Arya says. "Whoever my father sees fit."

"I didn't think you were the type to let herself be married off."

"I'm not." Arya says defensively.

Elia raises an eyebrow.

"I have been thinking about going to the free cities." Arya admits. "I don't want to be a lady. My father lets me carry around a sword but I think that's only because my brother gave it me before he left, I think one day he'll take it and he'll start making me wear a dress too. And soon. So, I've been thinking about leaving. There's nothing I can think of that's worse than being married off to some man that'll try to _make_ me act like _lady_."

"I don't think anyone could make you do anything." Elia says. "Not even your father, I think you're like me."

Elia leans closer to Arya and Arya finds herself admitting, "I don't want to be with a man at all."

"See?" Elia says. "You're like me."

Elia is the one to close the gap between them and kiss Arya.

Arya had never kissed anyone before and she barely thought about it before Elia came, but Elia seems to know what to do. Arya mirrors her movements as best as she can.

Elia opens her mouth and her tongue slides into Arya mouths, one of Elia's hands cups the back of Arya's head and she pushes her gently on to her back. Arya pushes her away though, unsure of how far Elia was planning to take it.

"Something wrong?" Elia asks.

"No, I just tho—anyone could come by and see us."

"Okay." Elia says and after a moment of silence she gets up. "I should get back but if you want to go riding or something later, you know where my room is. And I was serious by the way, I want to go to the free cities, and I want to go with you."

"I want to go, I really do." Arya says earnestly.

"Soon?"

"Soon."


End file.
